Inaugural GORE-TEX™ TransRockies Run Draws International Field
(San Francisco, CA – August 13, 2007) There is something so irresistibly compelling about running across a wide breadth of the Colorado Rockies that endurance runners from across the world are clamoring to do it.
At least, that is the best conclusion drawn from the entry list of the first-annual GORE-TEX™ TransRockies Run.
Besides the US, Belgium, France, England, South Africa, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Canada and Germany are all represented in the event, which begins September 16th in Beaver Creek, CO and concludes six days later in Aspen, CO, after the runners have traversed more than 125 miles of the most rugged and glorious terrain in the world.
The international flavor is not entirely surprising; multi-day trail running events have flourished as a competitive and active-travel attraction in destinations as far-flung as the Gobi Desert, Vietnam, Chile, Egypt and the Antarctic. The distant topography and difficult trails of these destinations are a large part of the appeal, but according to the race field, the Beaver Creek-to-Aspen (Colorado) location stands second to none.
"It will be a run of attrition," says Michael Auer, a chiropractor from Lutherville, Maryland, "The GORE-TEX™ TransRockies Run presents a course which goes to places you may only see if you go there by foot, with adversity and great effort."
The run is open to teams of two people only; the team format allows for a greater measure of safety over days as long as 26 miles and vertical gains of as much as 7,000 feet.
But the team aspect also allows for an unusual level of camaraderie in a sport defined by solitary effort. Ultra-distance trail running is a lonely endeavor, usually accompanied by an intense interior dialogue that mixes constant worry with an ongoing appreciation of the natural beauty of the surroundings.
Auer, who is running with his best friend Gary Richwine, says, "Within ultras, there is a camaraderie between every individual of the entire competitive field against the wilderness and the geography of the course. I expect that this race will take me to places on this earth I haven’t seen, but I hope it will also take me to places in my character I rarely glimpse. And I am excited that either way, I’ll be next to my best friend."
In addition to the wide geographic spread, the event has also attracted a notably gender-neutral competitive field: 60 percent of the runners are male while 40 percent are women. The average age is 41, reflecting the benefits of hard-won experience in ultra events, with runners as young as 26 and as old as 70.
The event will take competitors through both the White River and San Isabel National Forests. The course includes a mix of singletrack and forest roads reaching altitudes of 12,000 feet, and the Colorado peaks will provide some of the most stunning scenery imaginable, with blazing golden aspen and vistas of pure wilderness. While most participants may not have their eye on a win, some certainly will. A combined prize purse of $20,000 will go to top teams in four categories: Men, Women, Mixed, and Men 80+.
For more information on the GORE-TEX™ TransRockies Run, visit www.transrockies.com.
Contact:
Gordon Wright
(415) 561-6266
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